Three-way double garage door



Feb. 27, 1962 P. P. CAFARDI 3,022,817

THREE-WAY DOUBLE GARAGE DOOR I Filed July 22, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 5| u I2 IO T l2 Fig/ Fig.2

' INVENTOR. 777 Paschal R Cd dr H/S ATTORNE Y5 Feb. 27, 1962 CAFARD] 3,022,817

THREE-WAY DOUBLE GARAGE DOOR Filed July 22, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 45 4 43 52 43 Fig. [0

INVENTOR. Paschal P. Cafardi H/S ATTORNEYS United Sttes Patent 3,022,817 THREE-WAY DOUBLE GARAGE DOOR Paschal P. Cafardi, 928 Heberton Ave, Pittsburgh 6, Pa. Filed July 22, 1958, Ser. No. 750,135 16 (Ilaims. (Cl. 160113) This invention relates to an overhead roll top door for a double width garage, and more particularly, to an overhead garage door composed of three sections for a double width garage, which door may either be opened as a unit in its entirety or may be sectioned into two single width garage doors, and each door section opened singularly.

In the past, it has been common practice to provide a double width garage with either two single width garage doors having a permanent center supporting post therebetween, or with a unitary double width garage door. Both of these arrangements have their advantages and disadvantages. For example, the single, double width garage door provides maximum access to the garage, however, such a door is extremely heavy and difiicult to manipulate from the opened to the close position and vice versa. Furthermore, such a door necessitates the opening of both halves of the garage when only one half is to be used. The other arrangement, wherein the double width garage is provided with a permanent dividing or supporting center post and two single width garage doors, one on each side of the center supporting post, alleviates the problem of an extremely heavy and unmanageable roll top door. However, the permanent center supporting post, positioned in the center of the garage opening, materially reduces the available accessibility to the garage, especially when one considers the massiveness and width of American-made cars.

An object of my invention is to provide a roll top garage door for a double width garage which will achieve the advantages of both the single, double width garage door and the double, single width garage doors, without the accompanying disadvantages;

Another object of my invention is to provide a double width garage door which may be opened unitarily as such and which also may be partitioned or sectioned into two single width garage doors, each of which may be opened singularly;

A further object of my invention is to provide a double width garage door which has a center supporting post or channel section incorporated therein, which center post may be raised as part of a double width garage door, or which may remain stationary and form a supporting guide post for each of two single width garage doors;

A further object of my invention is to provide a three sectioned overhead garage door with sliding bar locking means for operatively retaining such sections together and for disengaging the sections as desired;

These and other Objects of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front view in elevation showing an entire door construction of my invention in a completely closed position;

FIGURE 2 is a front view in elevation showing a lefthand door in an opened position, and a center post and right-hand door in a closed position;

FIGURE 3 is a front view in elevation showing the right-hand door in an opened position, and the center post and left-hand door in a closed position;

FIGURE 4 is a front view in elevation showing the entire door in a completely opened position;

FIGURE 5 is a front view in elevation showing both the left-hand and right-hand doors in an opened position, and center post in a closed position;

FIGURES 6, 7, and 9 are enlarged side elevational views of different portions of my new garage door with the sliding locking bar means omitted for the sake of clarity;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view in section taken along the line VIVI of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view taken along the line VII-VII of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 8 is a further enlarged detail view of an inner hanger assembly, partially in section, and taken along the line VIII-VIII of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational view taken along the line IXIX of FIGURE 2; FIGURE 10 is a back or inside view on a slightly smaller scale than FIGURES 6, 7 and 9 of my garage door in elevation, with the entire door in a closed position, and showing sliding bar locking means and a supporting channel; and

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged perspective view of a special hinge and roller mounting assembly incorporated in the door structure.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURES 1 through 5, the complete door ltl comprises three sections, including a. left-hand door section 11, a right-hand section 12, and a centerchannel Or supporting post section 13. Each of the three vertically partitioned sections 11, 12, and 13 are composed of four vertically-disposed horizontally-partitioned slats or sections 14, 15, 16 and 17 (see also FIGURE 10), such as is customary in roll top doors. The bottom horizontally-partitioned section 14, the intermediate or middle sections 15 and I6, and the top section 17 are hinged together by means of hinge and roller assemblies 23.

As noted in FIGURE 6, the outermost roller track and lifting assembly,.for both the left-hand door 11 and the right-hand door 12, is generally of standard construction. An outer roller track 18 is mounted in a position adjacent and slightly behind the outer end of each of the door sections 11 and 12. A cable 19, anchored at one end to a retaining block 20 on the bottom horizontally partitioned section 14, passes over pulleys or rollers 21 and 21' and is anchored at its other end in the support block for roller 21. A tension spring 22, anchored to a block supporting the back of roller track 18, is connected to pulley 21' in a known manner, in order to assist in the opening and closing of the garage door. A roller 26, mounted on a shaft 26 positioned in bearing housing 25 of each hinge and roller assembly 23, is positioned in and travels along roller track 18. In addition, a bottom roller 33, mounted adjacent the bottom of horizontally-partitioned section 14, and a top roller 34, mounted on a bracket 35 attached to horizontallypartitioned section 17, are also positioned in and travel along roller track 18. Although FIGURE 6 only shows the outer roller track for the left-hand door 11, it is to be understood that the outer roller track of the righthand door 12 is identical.

The inner ends of the left-hand door 11 and the righthand door 12, like the outer ends, are also provided with hinge assembly rollers 26 and bottom rollers 33, but which travel in a C-shaped channel or center roller track 47 for each door (see FIGURES 9 and 10). Each center track 47 is secured to the back of center channel section 13, adjacent its vertical ends. The channel 47 is composed of four horizontally-partitioned sections 14, 15', 16', and 17', with each section positioned adjacent its corresponding horizontally-partitioned door section 14, 15, 16 and 17. The bottom section 14', the intermediate or middle sections 15 and .16, and the top section 17 are all hinged. together as by hinges 46.- The top section 17 of each of the center roller tracks 47, is

curved outwardly and backwardly to substantially a horizontal position away from the top section 17 of the center 7 channel section 13. This horizontal portion of section 17' provides a support for the bottom roller 33 on the inner ends of doors 11 and 12, when the doors are raised to their open position. The end of the top section 17' is bellowed outwardly at 47a to provide an easy access to the tracks 47 for the rollers 26 when the individual doors are lowered.

As noted in FIGURE 9, the center roller tracks 47 do not extend horizontally back into the garage, as do the outer roller tracks 18. Since the center channel section 13 must also be raised when the door is lifted unitarily, it is impossible to extend the center roller tracks 47 horizontally back into the garage for any length. Also, it would be impossible to provide a separate horizontal section for the tracks 47 in alignment therewith, since the tracks 47 would abut against the horizontal sections when the center section is raised. However, it is necessary that some provision be made to support the inner ends of both left-hand door 11 and right-hand door 12 when they are raised individually.

In order to accomplish this necessary support, I have provided overhead tracks or top roller channels or tracks 43 which are outwardly-oifset from the roller tracks 47.

Channels 43 are secured to the ceiling 45 of the garage, such as by brackets 44. Each of the overhead tracks 43 is provided with a stop flange 48 which limits the backward movement of the doors 11 and 12 thereon, and is so positioned that the bottom roller 33 will stop and rest on the horizontal portion of center channel 47 when the doors are in their fully opened position.

A hanger assembly 36 is secured to the top of section 17 of both the left-hand door 11 and the right-hand door 12, inwardly ofiset from the innermost edges of the doors and in alignment with the offset overhead roller tracks 43. The hangers 36 are secured to the upper portions of section 17 by means of an L-shaped flange rnember 37 bolted thereto. One portion of the L-shaped flange member 37 is secured to the top of the door, whereas the other portion is secured to the back thereof. A bifurcated pivot pin mounting assembly 38 is formed on the L-shaped member at the apex of the L. A rod 40 is pivotally mounted within the pin mounting assembly 38 by means of a pivot pin 35 passed therethrough. The upper end of rod 49 is provided with an axle 41 pivotally mounted thereon. Each end of axle 41 is provided with a roller 42 w-ihch rides within the channel member 43.

The positions of hanger assemblies 36 and overhead tracks 43 are shown in FIGURES 7 and 10. The top section 17 of the center channel section 13 is also provided with a similar hanger assembly 36 which travels in overhead track or channel 43' positioned between the center channels 47.

In operation, therefore, when either the left-hand door 11 or the right-hand door 12 is opened, as shown in FIG- URES 2 and 3 respectively, the rollers 26, positioned on the inner ends of these doors, will ride upwardly in their respective chanel 47, and simultaneously, the rollers 42 will travel backwardly along overhead channel, or track 43. The door will continue in its upwardly and backwardly direction until the top of section 17 abuts against stop or end positioned flange 48. When in its fully open position, the outer end of the door will be supported by the rollers 26, 33, and 34 in the outer roller track 18, and the inner end of the door will be supported by the hanger assembly 36 attached to section 17 that has rollers 42 riding in overhead track 43. It will further be supported on its inner end by bottom wheel 33 resting on the horizontal portion of the upper section 17' of inner channel member 47. The stop flange 48 is positionedso that the bottom wheel 33 will not ride off the end of upper section 17'. FIGURE 9 shows left-hand door 11 in its raised or open position, with the bottom roller 33 supported by the horizontal portion of section 17', and the hanger assembly 36 in its backwardmost position.

When the entire door is lifted as a unit, the outer ends of left-hand door 11 and right-hand door 12 ride in and are supported by roller track 18. The center portions of left-hand door 1 1 and right-hand door 12, together with the center channel section are supported by the hanger assemblies 36 and 36' that ride in overhead tracks 43 and 43, respectively. It is noted that the hanger assemblies 36 and 36 travel in tracks 43 and 43 respectively, with the movement of upper sections 17 of the door 10 when the door is lifted unitarily. Since in this situation, the center post 13 is also lifted in unison with the two doors 11 and 12, there is no direct support for the bottom portion 14 at the center of the door 10. However, since the door sections are locked together in such a manner so as to, in eifect, form a unitary door, such as a double garage door, no center support for the bottom section 14 is necessary, as is true with standard double width garage doors.

Referring now to the sliding bar locking means, as disclosed in 'FIGURE 10, the left-hand door 11 and the right-hand door 12 are provided with identical sliding bar locking means, and therefore the locking means will be described with reference to only one door. It is to be understood however that the other door has the same identical structure and operates in the same manner. The left-hand door 11 is provided with a plurality of channel-shaped guiding members 56. The center channel section 13 has a plurality of horizontally-aligned channel members 57 which complement the guide members 56. A plurality of vertically spaced-apart and horizontallysliding bar members 60 are positioned within the guide members 56 to slide into and out of the channel members 57 and thereby lock and unlock the door 11 to the center post 13, as desired. The sliding bar members 60 are connected together by means of a vertically-disposed and horizontally-partitioned connecting member 61 that is hinged together by offset hinges 61'. A horizontally-disposed ratchet bar or member 62 is secured to the connecting member 61 and is operably engaged with a pinion 63. Pinion 63 is splined onto a rotatable shaft 63' which passes through horizontally partitioned section 15 of door 11. A knob or handle 64 (see also FIGURE 1) is splined onto the shaft 63' on the outside of the door 11. A similar knob or handle, not shown, may be provided on the shaft 63 on the inside of the door to operate the locking members.

In operation, therefore, if it is desired to open either of the doors 11 or 12 singularly, the knob 64 is turned which rotates pinion 63 and retracts ratchet bar 62, thereby withdrawing the sliding locking bars 60 from the channels 57 in the center channel section 13. If it is desired to lift the door It) as a unit, the knob 64 on each door is rotated so that the pinion 63 moves the ratchet bar 62 and accordingly, the sliding locking bars 60 move into the channel members 57, thereby locking the two doors 11 and 12 and center channel section 13 onto a unitary door 11).

The knobs 64 are provided with standard locks, so that the doors 11 and 12 may be locked to the center channel section 13. Although I have disclosed a pinion and ratchet mechanism for motivating the bars 60, it is to be understood that a simple toggle mechanism may be used if desired. However, the pinion and ratchet mechanism is better adapted to electric motor operation, should other than manual motivation be desired.

Although, as previously described the two doors 11 and 12 may be locked to the center channel 13 by means of key locks in handle 64, such locks would not prevent the opening of the door in its entirety as a unit. Therefore, 1 provide a locking means 50 for the center channel section 13. The locking means 56 comprises a handle 51 (see also FIGURE 1) on the outside of section 16 of center channel section 13. The handle 51 is splined onto a shaft, not shown, which passes through the center section 13 and is connected to a toggle 53. A rod 54, hinged at 55, is attached to one end of toggle 53. A locking plate 52 is provided on the front wall of the garage above the center channel section 13. When the handle 51 is rotated to a locking position, toggle 53 rotates and advances the rod 54 upwardly into the locking plate 52 that is positioned above the center section. The handle 51 is provided with a key lock of known construction to lock the rod 54 in the locked position.

When so locked, it is impossible to open the door 10, since the rod 54 is in contact with the locking plate 52. To open the door, however, it is only necessary to unlock the lock in handle 51 and rotate the handle, so that toggle 53 retracts rod 54 out of locking plate 52. When itis in its retracted position, the hinge 55 is in alignment with the hinges 23 that connect horizontally-partitioned sections 16 and 17. It is to be understood, of course, that the handle 51 may be positioned within the section 17, if desired, thereby eliminating the hinge 55 within rod 54. However, this would place the handle 51 rather high and in an inaccessible position on the door 10.

The center channel section 13- has a guide pin 49 secured adjacent the bottom thereof to project into a recess 49 in the floor of the garage. The pin and recess structure not only adds rigidity to the center section when in its down position, but also servesas a guide when it is being lowered.

It is to be noted that when the door is in its fully locked position, only one of the three locks must be activated to open a desired section. If it is desired to open the entire door, the lock means 50 is unlatched and the door is opened as a unit. If left-hand door 11 or right-hand door 12 is to be opened, then the lock in the knob 64 on the desired door is unlocked, the locking means 60 retracted, and the door opened.

In order for the door to be operable, it is necessary that all of the hinges along each partitioned joint are in horizontal alignment with that particular horizontally-partitioned joint, and that the pivot ends are in axial alignment with each other. The distancewhich the pivot on the hinges must be oifset from the door is determined by the hinges 46 on the back of the center channels 47, since they necessarily extend backward into the garage due to the depth of the center channels 47. Therefore, since the center channels 47 are of a greater depth than that of the garage door, the horizontally-partitioned vertically-disposed slats 14, 15, 16, and 17 making up the garage door, the horizontally-partitioned vertically-disposed connecting rods 61, and the horizontally-partitioned rod 54 of locking member 50 are hinged together at their respective partitions with offset hinges 23, 61, and 55, respectively. The latter have their ivot axis in axial alignment with the pivot axis of hinges 46 on the back of the center channel members 47.

A hinge and roller mounting assembly 23, used to join the vertically disposed horizontal slats and to mount the rollers 26, is disclosed in FIGURE 11. The hinge comprises upper and lower fiat vertically disposed flanged mounting portions 27 and 30, respectively. The lower mounting portion 30 has outwardly-extending side flanges 31 formed integral therewith. The side flanges 31 are provided with apertures for receiving a pivot pin 24 and a bearing housing 25. The pivot pin 24 is positioned through the side flanges 31, outwardly of the bearing housing 25. A roller axle 26' is mounted within bearing housing 25 and has a roller 26 mounted on one end thereof.

The upper, fiat, vertically-disposed flange mounting portion 27 has an outwardly-disposed flange portion 28 formed integrally therewith, which terminates in a cylindrical portion 29. The cylindrical portion 29 is positioned about pivot pin 24 for rotational movement. Hole portions 32 are provided in the fiat mounting portions 27 and for securing the hinge to the horizontally-disposed door sections. The hinge assembly 2 3 is so constructed that the pivot pin 24 will be in axial alignment with the hinges 46 on the back of channels 47. It is noted that the rollers 26 are mounted inwardly of the outwardlydisposed pivot 24 of hinge assembly 23, and that the exact location of bearing housing 25 in hinge assembly 23 is varied from an innermost position in the hinge near the bottom of the door to an outermost position on the hinge near the top of the door. It is common practice in roll top door constructions to stagger the rollers, so that the door will lie flat against the front molding near the top of the door, even although the'roller track slants backwardly adjacent the top thereof.

Whereas this invention is here illustrated anddescribed with respect to my now preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that various changes may be made therein and that various other" embodiments may be adopted on the basis of the teaching hereof, by those skilled in .the art, without departingfrom the scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A roll top door construction which comprises a vertically partitioned door, said door being partitioned into a plurality of door sections with a support section positioned between adjacent door sections, means positioning said support section for movement simultaneously relative to both said adjacent door sections, means .on said support section for guiding one edge of each of said adjacent door sections when they are raised and lowered, guide means adjacent the other edge of each of said adjacent door sections for raising and lowering said door sections, and means forunitarily raising and lowering said support section with said door sections.

2. An overhead roll top door construction for amultiple width opening comprising, a door vertically partitioned into a plurality of longitudinally aligned juxtapositioned sections, said longitudinally aligned sections comprising a plurality of single width door sections with a narrow separable support section intermediate adjacent single width door sections, and means for unitarily opening and closing all of said door and support sections simultaneously and for partitioning said door and support sections along the vertical partitions to selectively open and close said single width door sections, both simultaneously and individually, separately of their adjacent support sections. 3. A garage door for a double width garage having three vertically-partitioned juxtapositioned sections which comprises, a left-hand single width door section, a center channel section, a right-hand single width door section, and means for unitarily opening and closing said center channel section and said door sections simultaneously and for partitioning said sections to both simultaneously and individually open and close the left-hand and right-hand door sections separately of said center channel section.

4. In an overhead roll top door for a double width garage, a left-hand door section, a right-hand door section and a center supporting channel section disposed for vertical movement, means for locking said left-hand and right-hand door sections to said center door section, means for raising and lowering all of the locked-together sections simultaneously as a unitary double width garage door, and means including said center section for separately and for-simultaneously raising and lowering said individual left-hand and right-hand door sections, while maintaining the center section in a stationary position.

5. In a roll top door construction for a double width garage having a floor and ceiling, a double width roll top garage door vertically-partitioned into three sections comprising,a single width left-hand garage door, a single width right-hand garage door, and a center channel supporting section vertically-movable unitarily with said doors; a pair of roller tracks positioned adjacent opposite edges ofvsaid double widthv garage door and extending vertically'from a floor of the garage to approximately the top of modem and horizontally-backwardly of the garage to receive rollers attached to the right-hand and left-hand doors adjacent their outer edges, a pair of vertically-extending channel tracks secured to said center section ad-v jacent opposite edges thereof to receive rollers attached to the left-hand and right-hand door sections adjacent their inner edges, overhead horizontal tracks secured to the ceiling of the garage with one track adjacent the inner edge oi each said left-hand and right-hand door, a,

rolling horizontal movement within saidcentrally-disposed overhead channel track, andmeans for locking said lefthand and right-hand doors to said center section, so that the entire door comprising. all three sections, may be raised and lowered unitarily as. a double width garage door.

7. A roll top garage door construction as defined in claim 5, wherein an upwardly and backwardly curved channel section is securedv to the top. of each vertical channel track, and a horizontal portion in said curved section retains a bottom roller attached to the left-hand and right-hand door sections adjacent their inner edges when the door sections. are in their raised position.

8. A roll top garage door construction as defined in claim 7, wherein a stop flange is secured to each of'the horizontal roller tracks which are positioned adjacent the inner edges of the left-hand and right-hand doors to limit the upwardand backward. movement of said doors on. the tracks, so that the bottom roller of each door will stop and rest on the horizontal portion of a center channel when. the doors are in their fully opened position. 7

9. A roll top door construction as defined in claim 7, wherein an outwardly flared bell-shaped portion is positioned on the outer end of each curved channel section to provide easy access to the channels for the rollers attached to the left-hand and right-hand doors adjacent their inner edges when the doors are lowered individually.

10. A roll top door construction as defined in claim 6, wherein said locking means for each door comprises: a plurality of vertically spaced-apart horizontally-disposed guide members secured to the back of each door, a plurality of horizontally-aligned channel members secured to the back of said center section and complementing the guide members, a plurality of sliding bar members positioned within the guide members to slide into and out of locking engagement with the channel members to thereby lock and unlock the door sections to the channel sections, and means for moving said bar members into and out of locking engagement.

11. A roll top door construction for a garage having a floor, a ceiling, and at least a double width door opening which comprises, a plurality of vertically partitioned single-width door sections having at least one movable center channel section therebetween, said door sections and said center section comprising a plurality of hingedtogether horizontally-partitioned sections, a plurality of axially-aligned hinges secured to the back of the door sections adjacent each horizontal partition, a plurality of axially aligned hinges secured to the back of said center section adjacent each horizontal partition in axial alignment with the door hinges secured therealong, a plurality of vertically spaced-apart channel-shaped guide members secured to the back of each door section, and a plurality of complementary channel members secured to the back of the center section in longitudinal alignment with the guide members, a plurality of horizontal sliding bar locking members positioned within the guide members to slide into and out of engagement with the channel members to lock the door sections to the center sections, and means for moving said sliding bar members into and out of locking engagement therewith, so that the sections may be locked together and opened and closed as a unitary multiple width garage door, and also so that they may be unlocked and each single width door opened and closed individually.

12. A roll top door construction as defined in claim 5, wherein a vertically-extending locking means is secured to a top portion of said center section and extends intoa locking plate positioned above the center section to lock the center section in a stationary position and to also lock'the left-hand and right-hand doors in a stationary closed position-when the left-hand and right-hand doors. are connected to the center section. 7

1-3. A roll top door construction as defined in claim 5, wherein a guide pin is secured to the bottom of the center section and isadapted to seat in a recess in a fioor of the garage to guide the unitary door in its downward movementas-itapproaches its lowermost position and to rigidly maintain said center section in place when-the left-- hand and right-hand doors are raised and lowered individually.

14. A rolltop door construction as defined in claim 5 wherein said hanger assembly comprises, a rod pivotally connected at its lower end to a plate that is secured to the top of a door section, a horizontal axle is mounted for relative rotation through the upper end of said rod, and a pair of rollers is" mounted on said axle for horizontal travel within an overhead track.

15; In a roll top door construction as defined in claim 5, wherein said left-hand and right-hand door sections and said center sectionare horizontally-partitioned to facilitate an upward and backward rolling of the doors within theroller tracks, each horizontal partition of the center section ishinged together with a plurality of axially-aligned hinges that are secured to the back of the center channel tracks, each horizontal partition of the left-hand and right-hand doors is hinged together with ofiset hinges that have their pivotable axis in axial alignment with the axis of the hinges on the back of the channel tracks adjacent the partition.

16. A roll top door construction as defined in claim 15 wherein said ofiset hinges comprise, upper and lower vertically-disposed flanged mounting portions, outwardlyextending side flanges formed integrally with said lower mounting portion, apertures within said side flanges for receiving a pivot pin and a bearing housing, said pivot pin being positioned through the side flanges outwardlyoft'set from the bearing housing, a roller axle mounted within said bearing housing, a roller mounted on an outer end of said axle for travel within a roller track, an outwardly-disposed flange portion connected to said upper vertically-disposed flange mounting and terminating in a cylindrical portion, and said cylindrical portion being positioned about the pivot pin for rotational movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 719,669 Hoppe Feb. 3, 1903 892,187, Schreifer June 30, 1908 1,254,696 Jenkins Jan. 29, 1918 1,258,638 Tomkinson et al Mar. 5, 1918 1,358,464 Reibin Nov. 9, 1920 1,535,228 Kramer Apr. 28, 1925 1,908,165 Moler May 9, 1933 2,026,091 Johnson et al. Dec. 31, 1935 2,062,899 Morris Dec. 1, 1936 2,575,201 Tillotson Nov. 13, 1951 2,683,904 Lipt'ay July 20, 1954 

